Most of us have irrational fear. For some it is needles, others shriek at the sight of a spider. For most, these fears are no more than an annoyance. But for some, these anxieties become so severe that they cause great distress and interfere with normal day-to-day life.

When a fears becomes so strong that it stops you from living your life normally - it is called a phobia. If you are living with distressing fears or phobias, take hope. You can overcome phobias and fears with the right treatment and self-help strategies. So don’t wait to seek help.

Fear interfering with your lifeNo matter what fear or phobia you have (there are thousands of types) you know that it can cause great anxiety and stress.

You may have tried to overcome this anxiety, only to feel helpless or stupid with this has failed. Most people develop Coping Strategies; they learn to live by avoiding situations in which the fear may come up.

People afraid of lifts take the stairs, people with social phobia avoid parties. Although this provides temporary relief, it often makes the fear worse and restricts day-to-day life. After many years, the anxiety and avoidance become 'normal'.

Intervention

Many people try to overcome their fears by forcing themselves to ignore them, this often fails. The nervousness and beating heart still happens in situations they fear are dangerous. They try logic and argument, but the emotions continue. These reactions are not from the conscious mind, but the unconscious mind and usually fail, leaving feelings of helplessness and frustration.

Hypnosis & CBT will help
I will work with you to stop the reactions and high anxiety experience by those with phobias. You will experience hypnotherapy sessions that will give you control in situations where you once felt insecure or frightened.

CBT therapy will give you the tools you need to regain confidence and control. You will no longer need to avoid stressful situations, or engage in Coping Strategies to handle anxiety. Many people say this experience is like finding a new lease on life, as they become free of anxieties that once held them back.

Four types phobias and fears

Social (being sick in public)

Natural (heights, storms, water and dark)

Situations (enclosed spaces, lifts, flying or dentists, bridges)

Blood-Injection-Injury phobia (medical, driving)

Common phobias and fears

Fear of spiders

Fear of flying

Fear of heights

Fear or closed spaces

Fear of public embarrassment

Fear of needles and injections

Fear of public speaking

Fear of germs

Fear of illness or death

Agoraphobia (going outside)

Social phobia

Being sick in public

Sarah's storySarah had always been an insecure person, she often felt shy and was overly concerned that people were judging or laughing at her.

She found herself working in an office with an aggressive, bullying atmosphere, only to find this Social Phobia growing to extreme levels.

She would find it difficult to complete her work, as her mind was constantly concerned with how others saw her. She also experienced palpitations, sweating and tiredness from the high levels of anxiety.

She eventually came to realize that this could not go on and sought therapy. In a series of 4 sessions combining Hypnotherapy and CBT, she was able to break through the harmful self-criticism that had caused her so much distress.

As the weeks passed, she developed self-confidence and was able to relax at work and be more effective.